TURKEY TEETH - MY EXPERIENCE

Why I Went to Istanbul for Dental Work — and Why I Chose Esnan

What happens when dental work that has lasted more than 30 years finally needs replacing — and you realize you don't necessarily want to have it done in the United States?

In this episode of Midlife Mayhem, I’m sharing my entire experience of traveling to Istanbul, Turkey, for extensive dental work: why I started looking overseas, why my first attempt in Cancún ended with me getting on a plane and coming home without having anything done, and the research that eventually led me to Esnan Dental Hospital in Istanbul.

My dental history is a little complicated. I had bridges, crowns and veneers from a relatively young age, and much of that work had been in my mouth for an incredible 32 years. It still looked pretty good from the outside, but receding gums, sensitivity and a broken tooth made me realize I didn't want to spend the next decade simply patching things up one tooth at a time.

In this episode, I talk about:

Why I originally traveled to Cancún for dental treatment — and why I walked away when the proposed treatment was far more aggressive than I expected.

The overwhelming process of researching dental clinics overseas and trying to distinguish excellent facilities from excellent marketing.

Why Esnan stood out to me as a full dental hospital with five locations, rather than simply a cosmetic dental clinic.

The Zoom consultation I had with a dental surgeon before I ever booked my trip, including their approach to preserving healthy natural roots rather than automatically replacing them with implants.

What happened when another clinic learned I had chosen Esnan — and why that interaction actually made me feel even more confident in my decision.

What it was really like arriving in Istanbul: airport pickup, hotel arrangements, drivers, coordinators and the level of organization throughout the entire experience.

How the dental team used different temporary teeth to let me actually see and choose the shape and proportions I preferred before the final teeth were made.